If you hurry, you have time to grab a ticket and a visa (Russian Consulate is open 25 & 26 Dec, although the staff might be a little "merrier" than usual) and scoot over this way?

Pokrovsky Opera have the world premiere of Dashkevic's THE GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR (saw the DR on Weds, it's a cheerful Sondheim-type piece, nothing exceptional but very professionally done, Mochalov excels as the luckless Anton Antonovich, Berezanskaya steals the show as the Mayor's vampish wife).  That's running alongside THE MERRY WIDOW over the holiday season.

Helikon Opera have a couple of performances of RUSALKA (joint production with Denmark) left, then go into a non-stop run of their legendarily-funny FLEDERMAUS with Ponamarev, Dorozhkin, Kuinji and Andreeva sharing the honours as the Odd Couple, Ovchinnikov as Frosch, and Rossiiskaya/Vyaznikova as a transvestite Prince Orlovsky.  Rumours of the "guests" include Guzhov and Guleghina.

Novaya Opera have their "Bravissimo!" biog-show of Rossini out for the holiday season, alternating with SNOW MAIDEN with Kaftaikina in the lead role.

Bol'shoi is almost entirely ballet until New Year, though.

You'd have to trek to Stavoropol to see Menotti's THE TELEPHONE, however

And there's always Kenneth Branagh's film of THE MAGIC FLUTE to keep you entertained/engrossed/appalled

Well in case you hadn't noticed, there seems to be a Magic Flute theme going on here

(Actually that's not so much a Christmas thing, more a general surfeit.  I saw it semi-staged at the Barbican in the summer, have since seen it at British Youth Opera and ENO, missed the Guildhall School production as it clashed with other things, haven't yet seen the Branagh film, am soon going to the South African "Impempe Yomlingo" as mentioned earlier in this thread, and am not planning to see the imminent Royal Opera revival as I have seen the production several times already and quite honestly don't need ANY MORE MAGIC FLUTES!)

I think you've been misinformed, Ruth.  According to my information Emilia di Liverpool is not one of the events being dealt with entirely by ballot.  The Phil is selling tickets and there were some available when I looked a few minutes ago:

http://www.liverpoolphil.com/

click on all events then go to Dec for the first night and Jan for the others.  I looked at Jan 1st but I suspect there will be availability for other nights too.  I'm tempted to go myself for the novelty value (E de L doesn't even have a listing in my 'Dictionary of Opera & Operetta') and for the opportunity to see an opera in St George's Hall.  But I wouldn't dream of taking scarce tickets from lovers of Donizetti (I'm not a fan myself). If you need any assistance from a local, don't be afraid to ask - I live on the other side of the Mersey, a 20 minute bus ride fro the Hall.

Thanks for all your help!  I don't know why I had it in my head that there was a matinee on the 5th.  I may yet take you up on your offer for The evening of that day - I'm in deepest darkest Surrey for New Year's Eve and am sure I will be in need of just getting home and relaxing on the 1st.

I found NO mention on the websites of either Liverpool 08 or the European Opera Centre of the fact that tickets could be obtained in a "normal" fashion, so thanks for pointing me in the right direction.  Bl**dy expensive, though. (Edit: oh no my mistake, it's only New Year's Day that's expensive - a gala night by the looks of it.  It's looking possible - and for under £50 too: £23.50 for the bus, £25 for the ticket )

I too am looking forward to the ballet and opera on bbc 2 this christmas, my sister says this is because i am 'eccentric'.

I enjoyed the Carmen on BBC. Both singers were new to me. I never heard their names. I thought they were good.
I looked Kaufmann on the net and he is singing in New York.